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Immigration Facts

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Resources

In June, Green Card Voices released its fifth book, “Green Card Entrepreneur Voices: Inspiring How-To Stories From Minnesota Immigrants.” The non-profit organization offers touring photo exhibits, is looking for new locations to film stories, accepts tax deductible donations, and continues to seek immigrant stories to tell. For more videos and links to books, including teaching guides, and full video stories from these women and others, visit GreenCardVoices.org.

The Advocates for Human Rights’ report “Moving from Exclusion to Belonging: Immigrants Rights in Minnesota Today” is the result of more than 200 interviews and 25 community conversations held throughout Minnesota. Participants noted that while Minnesota is welcoming, the welcome does not extend very far. “Newcomers face discrimination and exclusion from social networks and by extension, exclusion from the economic opportunities and political power such networks bring.” Details: theadvocatesforhumanrights.org/belonging

• Minnesota is home to 208,571 immigrant women and 52,176 immigrant children. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015 American Community Survey, 1-Year• The top countries of origin for Minnesota immigrants are Mexico (13.9 percent), India (7.2 percent), Somalia (5.7 percent), Laos (5.5 percent), and Ethiopia (4.6 percent). Source: American Immigrant Council• Undocumented immigrants in Minnesota paid an estimated $83.2 million in state and local taxes in 2014. Source: Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy• $250,000 has been set aside by Hennepin County toward a legal defense fund for immigrants, making it one of the first Midwestern jurisdictions to start chipping in for immigration court costs. Source: Star Tribune, 3/25/18

Policy Around Arrests and Detentions

• Pew Research reports that Minnesota saw a 67 percent increase in ICE arrests in 2017. That includes more than 4,000 arrests in St. Paul. Details: https://pewrsr.ch/2EbOL0m• U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has ordered immigration judges not to grant asylum to victims of domestic and gang violence. Source: Los Angeles Times, 6/11/18• While cities like Minneapolis and St. Paul have declared themselves sanctuaries, counties and sheriff’s departments like Hennepin County do turn over undocumented immigrants to federal immigration authorities. Source: Star Tribune, 7/9/17• Immigrant pregnant women will no longer be released automatically on bond. Source: The Washington Post, 3/29/18• Companies and local governments have proposed building immigration detention centers in the Midwest, responding to a request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. The proposals, most by for-profit corrections contractors, were submitted to ICE after it put out a request in October for detention sites that included St. Paul. The proposals, all preliminary, include one to build a 640-bed detention center in Pine Island, Minnesota, near Rochester. Details: https://bit.ly/2l1lLAB